Back to Pollen
Autumn Brings Its Own Allergy Problems
September 22, 2025 at 11:37 AM EDT
By WeatherBug Sr. Meteorologist, James West
Autumn brings cooler temperatures, beautiful foliage and unfortunately, its own batch of fresh allergies.
Although flower pollen season is ending across the U.S., another scourge to allergy sufferers emerges, ragweed. This allergen is a flowering plant found in almost all parts of the U.S. along highways, in fields and in vacant lots. It is believed to be a leading cause of allergies; some estimates suggest that three-quarters of all allergy sufferers react to this trigger.
“Hay fever” is another allergy sufferer’s nightmare. Common in autumn, “hay fever” is a catch-all term for weed pollen grains that fly through the air. These weeds include sagebrush, pigweed, and tumbleweed. These harmless grains, when inhaled, cause people’s immune systems to react and release histamines designed to ward them off. The histamines trigger the all-too-common sneezing, coughing, and the itchy eyes, nose and throat in allergy sufferers.
Other allergy triggers, like mold, mildew, dust mites and pet dander, don’t go away, even after the first freeze tamps down the ragweed and hay fever season. These triggers can be minimized through frequent cleaning of indoor spaces and ventilation systems and making sure bedding is washed frequently in hot water.
Allergy sufferers do have options. Over-the-counter drugs can be used for mild cases, but prescription nasal sprays offer a combination of nasal symptom relief to open airways and an antihistamine to block other allergy symptoms.
Sources: WebMD, CDC
Although flower pollen season is ending across the U.S., another scourge to allergy sufferers emerges, ragweed. This allergen is a flowering plant found in almost all parts of the U.S. along highways, in fields and in vacant lots. It is believed to be a leading cause of allergies; some estimates suggest that three-quarters of all allergy sufferers react to this trigger.
“Hay fever” is another allergy sufferer’s nightmare. Common in autumn, “hay fever” is a catch-all term for weed pollen grains that fly through the air. These weeds include sagebrush, pigweed, and tumbleweed. These harmless grains, when inhaled, cause people’s immune systems to react and release histamines designed to ward them off. The histamines trigger the all-too-common sneezing, coughing, and the itchy eyes, nose and throat in allergy sufferers.
Other allergy triggers, like mold, mildew, dust mites and pet dander, don’t go away, even after the first freeze tamps down the ragweed and hay fever season. These triggers can be minimized through frequent cleaning of indoor spaces and ventilation systems and making sure bedding is washed frequently in hot water.
Allergy sufferers do have options. Over-the-counter drugs can be used for mild cases, but prescription nasal sprays offer a combination of nasal symptom relief to open airways and an antihistamine to block other allergy symptoms.
Sources: WebMD, CDC